How to change to Administrator mode

Question

I can install downloaded BIOS without changing to Administrator mode. How do I do that?

Answer 1

Hello

Is it because you are not the admin user and you don't know the other admin user's credential?

OR the computer doesnt have admin at all?

If the computer doesn't have admin at all, you can use this method to give yourself admin:

Hold down Shift key while you choose Windows restart, then go to Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Startup Settings, click on restart, then choose option 4.

When prompted for password, leave it blank and enter.

When you are in safe mode, hold down windows + r keys, type in netplwiz and press enter.

Then double click on your username, go to Group Membership tab, make it admin.

Restart, log back into your user. You should now have admin access.

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However, if the computer has admin, but you don't know the credential, then there's no way around this. Either you get the credential, or you have to backup the files and factory reset to start over.

Answer 2

To install or update BIOS safely, elevated (administrator) permissions are typically required. Windows provides controlled ways to run with administrator rights instead of bypassing them.

To run an installer in Administrator mode in Windows 10:

1. Locate the installer file (for example, a BIOS update EXE) in File Explorer.
2. Right-click the file.
3. Select Run as administrator.
4. If prompted by User Account Control (UAC), enter an administrator username and password, or select Yes to allow the app to make changes.

When an app is running elevated, the title bar or UAC prompt will indicate it is running with administrator permissions. Most apps, including BIOS update tools, should be run this way rather than trying to avoid administrator mode.

If the current account is not an administrator, an administrator must either:

• Enter their credentials at the UAC prompt, or
• Sign in and perform the installation.

By design, Windows does not provide a safe way for a standard user to install low-level components like BIOS updates without administrator approval, because this would be a security risk.

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References:

• PowerToys running with administrator permissions
• Installing a Package with Elevated Privileges for a Non-Admin